Commentary on day 4

Owen Melhuish

AUSSIES TAKE THE KIWI SILVER – well some of it anyway

Howard Taylor celebrates with the victorious Brisbane Excelsior Brass

Wow! what a climax in the A grade tonight here at the Bruce Mason Centre.

Taking the aggregate was Brisbane Excelsior who only won the Hymn section – a reverse from 2006 when Gunnedah were denied a win because they were marked well down on the Hymn while winning the other sections.

Dalewool should be congratulated for a “Bravo” performance of their test Concerto No.1 for Brass Band by Derek Bourgeois and winning by just a point over Brisbane and another point back to Kew Band Melbourne.

And then in come Woolston with a special performance of their own choice Vienna Nights tonight that was just what the judge Nigel Boddice was looking for – to be moved by the music.

Nigel Weeks draws out the best 

in his A grade test win.   

So a close second equal for Dalewool and Kew Band Melbourne in the A grade and winner Howard Taylor takes number four after a hat trick in Australia.

Speaking afterwards Taylor said “this is my second home and to win here again after the last win in 1999 with Waitakere was special thrill”

According to the “party talk” afterwards the last Australian band to win at the New Zealand Championships was Cairns Citizens Band in 1936! This is not verified but still there was history made this week.

Howard Taylor takes a well deserved bow after 

a wonderful performance of Music of the Spheres

B Grade summary

Horns and Basses of the Pelorus Trust Band  

Pelorus Trust Wellington returned to New Zealand contesting like they left – with a win. Previous Musical Director David Chaulk (in Wellington 2005) was on Euphonium and new conductor David Bremner gave us some lovely musical interpretation over the two days. A second in the sacred items was followed by a win for the test and own choice (Tallis Variations)

“We really worked hard in the last two weeks” said Bremner “We have two thirds of the band under 23 and many are music students so our preparation was a little erratic due to exam commitments, but we are hoping to build on this success” he said.

Port of Napier (David Oswin) clinched the sacred item and a second overall while Titan Hutt City (Mark Carter) were placed third.

C Grade summary

Another returning band had success in this section as Alan Spence led his Whakatane band Eastern Bay of Plenty Brass to victory after a victory in Wellington in 2005. They were one of two bands at this contest to win all of the disciplines.

[ Contests page ] [ Previous commentary ] [ Next ]